Welcome to the first PMQs of 2007, a year that will see a new prime minister at the dispatch box by autumn at the latest. And just the faintest chance of a snap election.

In Tony Blair's folder of pre-prepared answers today will be responses to the execution of Saddam Hussein, his controversial holiday at the Florida home of former Bee Gee Robin Gibb (and the no-less-controversial long-haul flight to get there), and, not least, the ongoing row over a Home Office failure to collate records of serious offences committed in Europe.

A statement from the home secretary, John Reid, will follow directly after PMQs.

For the Tories, with strong polling over Christmas, 2007 is also a crucial year: Mr Cameron's six policy review groups report back in the summer, finally giving the Conservative leader, David Cameron, the groundwork for some concrete policies after 12 months of coasting on charisma and repositioning the public perception of the party.

For the Liberal Democrats, things are almost diametrically opposed. Poor ratings over Christmas, and lingering doubts that Sir Menzies Campbell's leadership can gain momentum, make it no less a crucial year for them.

Midday

As is now habitual, Mr Blair begins with condolences to UK servicemen killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Conservative Mark Francois gets the first question: what is Mr Blair going to do about Hazel Blears, John Reid, and others protesting about their government's NHS policies; after all, rebel backbenchers get a dressing down from the chief whip.

The prime minister says that his colleagues are entitled to ther views.

Portsmouth's Labour MP Sarah McCarthy-Fry worries about the size of the Royal Naval fleet in future; some of it is based in her constituency.

We have the largest warship building programme in many years and are increasing defence spending year on year, Mr Blair tells her.

12.05pm

David Cameron's turn. Interestingly, he also reads out the name of each of the dead British soldiers.

The Tory leader demands reassurance that all yesterday's offenders have now been entered on the UK police computers. Mr Blair tells him to wait for John Reid's statement, but that the most serious ones have.

The prime minister adds that until May 2006 there was no system anywhere in Europe for recording offences committed abroad.

Mr Blair has admitted that the Home Office is failing the public, says Mr Cameron, since the prime minister stopped short of ensuring that all offenders had now been registered on computers.

There may be "insufficient details" sent from other countries, Mr Blair admits - but this is not the Home Office's fault.

"I asked for a guarantee and he can't give one," gloats Mr Cameron. John Reid is bent forward and extremely animated on the Labour frontbench.

12.10pm

As of a November 2005 EU summit, all information was made on a compulsory basis, bats back Mr Blair.

Mr Cameron accuses the prime minister of again failing to answer the question: are the police and Home Office agreed on whether the details have now been entered?

Although he stops just short of demanding a resignation, Mr Cameron suggests that if any of the dangerous offenders are found to have been working with children despite their details being with the Home Office, then the home secretary "will not be able to run away from his responsibilities".

The prime minister reiterates his case. Mr Cameron says there have been "four failing home secretaries" and that the job would be easier if the government took up the Tory case for a separate minister for terrorism/homeland security.

Mr Blair rejects that idea, and says that the number of absconding prisoners has been falling.

A slimmed-down Peter Kilfoyle makes a public return to the Commons, thanking his surgeon in Liverpool for his treatment.

The prime minister jokes that he is glad to have Mr Kilfoyle - a Labour rebel - and his "vociferous support" back at Westminster.

12.15pm

Sir Menzies Campbell's turn.

The Liberal Democrat leader refers to tonight's expected announcement of a "surge" in US troops from George Bush. How many more troops will we send? he asks.

Mr Blair says that the Basra area patrolled by British troops is not as dangerous as the Sunni triangle.

Sir Ming picks up on that point, saying that Mr Blair assumes that there will be no "displacement" of terrorist activity when US troop numbers increase.

He adds that we will we have to wait for Gordon Brown to take over as prime minister before getting an "independent foreign policy". Mr Blair defends the US-UK alliance as in the British national interest.

Brent South's Labour MP Dawn Butler asks for a statement on Iraq. Mr Blair says that there will be one after British troops withdraw from Basra.

Sandra Gidley (Lib Dem, Romsey) is heckled down for complaining that the government is not strong enough on Asbos. Mr Blair says that the Lib Dems opposed them to start with.

Labour's Stuart Bell wants to know if Mr Blair and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, will resume the "quartet" meetings on the Israeli-Palestinian question.

The prime minister says he hopes that talks will recommence soon. "In the next few weeks we might be able to announce some progress," he hints.

Andrew George (Lib Dem, St Ives) complains that last year five times more properties were bought in his contituency by second-home purchasers than first-time purchasers.

12.20pm

Sir Peter Soulsby (Lab, Leicester South) wants winter fuel payments to the elderly to be made permanent and to increase with prices - a campaign the Leicester Mercury has launched.

Rob Wilson (Con, Reading East) asks if 2007 will be just as successful for the NHS as 2006 was, a year he says was characterised by budget deficits and job losses. Mr Blair says that last Friday the NHS had the lowest waiting lists in its history.

Labour's Andrew Dismore (Hendon) complains that his Conservative local authority is not issuing enough Asbos.

"Vote Labour!" is Mr Blair's succinct answer.

The Democratic Unionist party's Jeffrey Donaldson worries that today's announcement on MI5 and Northern Ireland policing might "jeapordise" security in Ulster. Mr Blair says that the security services will have nothing to do with civil policing.

Labour's Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) condemns this week's US bombing of Somalia. The prime minister says that we need a peace process there that works properly.

12.25pm

Hertford's Mark Prisk (Con) complains that more than 100,000 new homes are being built in his contituency while health services are being closed; is this deliberate or just incompetence, he teasingly wonders?

Mr Blair attacks Tory NHS policy. The Speaker intervenes - not to reprimand the prime minister for going off topic, but to tell Tory backbenchers to quieten down.

Lembit Opik stands up to laughter from the house, amused by his relationship with Cheeky Girls pop star Gabriela Irimia, which was revealed in December.

Opik (Lib Dem, Montgomeryshire) informs his colleagues that his girlfriend's twin sister and fellow Cheeky Girl, Monica, is "still single", after saying how happy he is with Cheeky Girl number one. MPs heckle him with shouts of "Thumbs up!".